Dressings sterilizer



Dec. 12, 1944. G. H. MYRICK DRESSINGS STERILIZ ER Filed Oct. 25, 1939 3Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 12, 1944. G. H. MYRICK DRESSINGS STERILIZER FiledOct. 25, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 12, 1944 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE mmssmos s'rmumzsa George H. Myrick, Rochester, Minn.Application October 25, 1939, Serial No. 301,110

9 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in dressings sterilizers of thegeneral type in which hot, damp surgical dressings are prepared for useas fomentations.

i It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a noveldressings sterilizer that eifectively sterilizes and dampens surgicaldress- .ings and enables excess moisture to be easily and safely removedtherefrom, without danger of contaminating the dressings.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide an;improved substantially closed sterilizer which accomplishes boiling orsteaming of the dressings, together with the removal ofexcess moisturetherefrom, before the sterilizer is opened for their removal.

A further object is to provide a novel sterilizer which accomplishes theabove and enables squeezing of excess moisture from the dressingswithcut necessitating removal of the hot water from v the sterilizer.

An additional object is to provide a sterilizer with eflectivemeans foraccomplishing the foregoing objects, without recourse 'toelements ofconstruction that might contaminate the dressings by allowing moisturecondensed outside the sterilizer to drip upon the dressings or into theinterior of the sterilizer.

' It is a further object to provide a sterilizer having the advantagesindicated above that, in addition, has provision for sterilizing a pairof dressings handling forceps alongwith the dressings.

Other objects and advantages of my invention the arrows substantiallyalong the line 3-3 of Fig. 5, with a portion of the cover broken away toshow the structure therebeneath;

Figs. 4 and 5 are similar vertical sectional views taken in thedirection of the arrows along the lines 4-4 and 5-4 of Fig. 3. In theseviews. E 8. 4 illustrates the parts in the positions they assume whenthe dressings are being sterilized. while Fig. 5 shows the same parts inthe position assumed when squeezing excess moisture from the dressings;

Figs. 6 and 7 are vertical sectional views similar several views.

) In general, the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawingscomprises a base It of truncated pyramidal form, containing a downwardlyopening recess l2 having an electrical heating unit ll therein. This,heating unit is connected at one side of the base to an electrical plugI6 and cord l8, through which the heat-' ing unit is energized. Afterinstallation of the heating unit I4 within the recess l2, the recess [2is closed by a rectangular base pIate not shown, secured in place byfour screws, which extend into the base through apertures in the cornersof the base plate. These screws also serve as feet to support thesterilizerand are, therefore, provided with large heads 20, preferablycomposed of a plastic substance such as hard rubber, Bakelite, or thelike.

A rectangular tank 22 surmounts the base l0 and is preferably formed asa unitary casting therewith.

A cover 24 is attached at one edge to the top of the tank by hinges 26,which permit opening and closing of the receptacle formed by the sidewalls 28 and bottom 30 of the tank 22. A stop member 32 secured to thecover adjacent the hinges 26 abuts against the rear wall of the tankwhen the cover is raised and tilted backwardly somewhat beyond thevertical. This stop memier 32 serves to support the cover in opened)OSitlOll until it is desired that it be closed. l'he edge of the coveropposite the hinge 28 has the upper end of a depending bayonet latchingmember 34 pivoted thereto. This latching memher 34 cooperates in awell-known manner with in conjunctionwith the tracks, prevent lateral ortilting movements of the basket, but permit free vertical movementthereof, except that the lower ends 44 of the tracks 38 limit thedownward movement of the basket to a position about one and one-halfinches from the bottom of the tank.

Two balls 46 serve as handles to carry the sterilizer and also have themore .important function of providing a means for extracting excessmoisture from the steamed dressings. Thes bails have their ends 48connected to horizontal stub shafts 50 which are Journaled throughbosses 52, cast integrally with the front and backwails, and extend intothe interior 'of the tank. As best illustrated in Fig. 8, the outwardends of the stub shafts 58 are squared, as at 54, and fit intocomplementary squared openings in the ends 48 of the bails 46. Thus,when the bails 48 are moved apart and pressed downwardly, the stubshafts will be rotated through approximately a quarter of a revolution.

The inner ends of these stub shafts 50 are secured to leaf cams orlevers 56, which project downwardly when the balls are together, butwhich, when the bails are moved apart and pressed downwardly, arerotated into contact with the lower of the pins 42 and lift the basketupwardly. Stops 58, projecting inwardly from the front and back walls ofthe tank, are engaged by the cams or levers 56 when the basket 40 israised to a position such that its top edgeis flush with the top of thetank. These stops are pro-- vided to prevent too energetic movement ofthe bails from lifting the basket completely out of t e tank.

The inside surface of the cover 24 carries a rectangular presser plate60 spaced therefrom by The dressings to be treated are placed within thebasket and the basket lowered by raising the bails somewhat. After thecover 24 is closed and the bayonet catch 34 is secured, the heatingelement is energized through the cord i8 to boil the water in the tankand thus treat and sterilize the dressings.

After the elapse of a sufficient treating period,

In the embodiment.

the bails are pulled apart and pushed downwardly. This operation raisesthe basket, as previously described, and squeezes the dressings betweenthe bottom of the basket and the presser plate 60. Excess moisture isthereby pressed from the dressingsand flows back into the tank throughthe perforations in the basket 40. The

bayonet catch may then be unlatched, the cover swung back, and thedressings removed and applied to the patient.

For the purpose of lifting the dressings from the sterilizer, I preferto use a pairof forceps, not shown, which are intended to extend intothe sterilizer along the side of the basket 48 through a cutaway corner84 of the cover 24. The lower portions of the forceps, being in thesterilizer, are thus sterilized simultaneously with the dressings. Thisexpedient conveniently insures the dressings applied to the patientarriving in sterile condition.

With my sterilizer, as described above, it is optional with the userwhether enough water is placed in the tank to immerse the dressingsbeing sterilized, or whether less water is used and the dressingstreated only with steam from the boiling water. -In either case, perfectsterilization is effected andexcess moisture removed from the dressingsin the mannerpreviously described.

Since the stub shafts 50 are above the water level, no packing isnecessary to prevent leakins. It should also be noted that since theseshafts are horizontal, steam will not condense upon them outside thesterilizer and then run back into the sterilizer to contaminate thedressings in the manner that might result were an arrangement used inwhich vertical shafts were passed through openings in the cover. v

When cleaning of the sterilizer becomes desirable, it will be seen thatthe covermay be swung back and the basket lifted out of the tank to givefree access to the interior thereof. I

Although, in the interest of brevity, no detailed description of theheating unit M has been given, it will be appreciated that this heatingunit may be constructed in any suitable well-known manher and ispreferably provided with a control means to open the heater circuit, ifthe water level in the sterilizer becomes low enough to endangeroverheating. One suitable heating unit adaptable for use with thissterilizer is fully described in my Patent No. 2,184,679, grantedDecember 26, 1939.

Having illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention,what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States is:

1. A sterilizer of the class described comprising a tank adapted tocontain liquids therein, a cover for sand tank, a basket movablysupported in said tank for reciprocation vertically thereinindependently of and relative to the cover, a presser plate' positionedbelow said cover and secured thereto, said plate being of a size toenter said basket, lifting means movably secured to said tank forlifting said basket to squeeze the contents therein against said presserplate when said cover is closed, and manually operable means outside ofsaid tank to actuate said lifting means, said last mentioned meansconstituting balls for carrying the tank.

2. A sterilizer of the class described comprising a tank adapted tocontain liquids therein, a cover for said tank hinged along one edsethereof and provided with latching means to hold said cover closed, abasket movably supported in said tank for reciprocation verticallytherein independently of and relative to said cover, guide meanssupported by said tank coacting with said basket for maintaining thelatter horizontal dur. ing'vertical movements thereof, a presser plateof asize to enter the basket and positioned below said cover a distancesubstantially equal to the depth of said basket, said presser platebeing fixed rigid with'said cover, lifting means movably secured to thetank for lifting said basket to squeeze 'the contents therein againstsaid presser plate when said cover is latched closed, and manuallyoperable means outside of said tank to actuate said lifting means. r

3. A sterilizer of the class described comprising a tank adapted tocontain liquids therein, a cover for said tank hinged along one edgethereof and provided with latching means to hold said cover closed, abasket movably supported in said tank for reciprocation verticallytherein independently of and relative to said cover, guide means insaid'tank coacting with said basket to guide the vertical movementthereof, a presser plate of a size to enter the basket and positionedbelow said cover a distance substantially equal to the depth of saidbasket, said presser plate being fixed rigid, with said cover, liftinmeans 'movably secured to the tank for lifting said basket to squeezethe contents therein against said presser plate when said cover islatched closed, manually operable means outside of said tank to actuatesaid lifting means, and stop means to prevent the lifting means fromraising the top, edge of said basket substantially above the top edge ofsaid tank.

4. A dressings sterilizer comprising: an open 1 top tank adapted tocontain liquids therein, a basket positioned within said tank, verticalguideways in said tank to guide said basket for vertical reciprocation,lifting mechanism in said tank to lift said basket, manually operatablemeans outside said tank to actuate said lifting mechanism, a horizontalshaft extendink through a side wall. of said tank above the liquid leveltherein and connecting said manually operatable means to said liftingmechaand a presser plate of a size to enter the basket positioned belowsaid cover and secured thereto,

whereby hot soaked dressingsin said basket may be raised above theliquid in said tank and pressed against the presser plate to removeexcess moisture from said dressings without raising said cover orendangering contamination of said dressings by allowing moisturecondensed outside said tank to flow back thereinto.

5. A sterilizer of the class described comprising a tank adapted .tocontain liquids therein,

a cover for said tank, a basket positioned in said tank and havingguiding members projecting from two opposite side walls. thereof,vertical tracks on the inside of said tank co-operating with said guidemembers, a presser plate of a size to enter the basket positioned withinsaid tank and above said basket, mechanism adaptedto lift'said basket tosqueeze the contents therein against said presser plate, said mechanismcomprising a pair of balls for carrying saidsterilizer. horizontal stubshafts journaled in the side walls of said tank above the liquid leveltherein and having their outward ends connected to said balls, and earnsconnected to the inner ends of said stub shafts and adapted when rotatedto contact said guide members and lift said basket, whereby said basketis lifted. and excess moisture squeezed from said dressings when saidbails are pulled apart and pressed downwardly. Y 6. A sterilizer of theclass described comprising a. tank adapted to contain liquids therein,a.

cover for said tank, a basket movably supported nism, a cover to closethe open top of said tank,

in said tank for reciprocation vertically therein independently of andrelative to the cover, a

presser plate of a size to enter the basket and ing a tank adapted tocontain liquids therein, a.

cover for said tank, a support for materials to be sterilized positionedin said tank and adapted to reciprocate vertically therein, saidmaterial support being of a size to leave a space therebetween and thetank, a presser plate of a size to leave a space therebetween and a tankin alignment with the first mentioned space and adapted to be lo catedwithin said tank in a position above saidmaterialsupport, lifting meansadapted to lift said material support to squeeze the dressings thereonagainst said presser plate, manually operable means outside of said tankto actuate said lifting means, and an opening in said cover over saidspace between the tank and material support through which a pair ofdressings handling forceps can extend to be sterilized simultaneouslywith said dressings.

8. ;A sterilizer of the class described comprising a tank adapted tocontain liquids therein, a cover for said tank, a support for materialto be sterilized positioned in said tank and adapted to reciprocatevertically therein, a presser plate adapted to be located within saidtank in a position above said material support, mechanism adapted tolift said material support to squeeze the contents therein against saidpresser plate, said mechanism comprising a pair of bails for carryingsaid sterilizer, horizontal stub shafts journaled in the side walls ofsaid tank above the liquid level therein and having their outward endsconnected to said bails, cams connected to the inner ends-of said stubshafts and adapted when rotated to lift said material support, wherebythe latter is lifted and excess moisture squeezed from the material whensaid balls are pulled apart and pressed downwardly.

9. A sterilizer of the class described comprising a tank adapted tocontain liquids therein, a

cover for said tank, a basket movably supported in said tank forreciprocation vertically therein independently of and relative to thecover, a

. presser plate of a size to enter the basket and located within saidtank in a position above said basket when said cover is closed, liftingmeans movably secured to said tank for lifting said basket to squeezethe contents thereinagainst said presser plate when said cover isclosed, manually operable means outside of said tank to actuate saidlifting means, and stop means associated with saidlifting means tolimitthe movement of the basket to prevent the basket from being raisedabove the top edge of said tank.

GEORGE H. MYRICK.

